Thumb sucking preventive



Sept. 22, 1931. P. c. KAISER 1,823,904

THUMB SUCKING PREVENTIVE Filed Oct. 23. 1929 Patented Sept. 22, 1931 STATES raster FATE THUMB SUCKING PREVENTIVE- Application filed October 22, 1929. Serial ivo. 401,696.

My invention relates to a device that is designed to be placed on the thumbs and fingers of infants and children to discourage and prevent the habit of thumb and finger sucking and the principal object of my invention is, to provide a thumb and finger sucking preventive that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, capable of being easily and quickly applied for use and which will be very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a device of the character referred to that will be effective in discouraging the habit of finger and thumb sucking by children and at the same time permitting normal use of the thumb or fingers to which the device is applied.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a thumb and finger sucking preventive constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the prevention applied to a thumb or finger.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device applied for use and with the ends thereof partially connected. I

Fig. t is an end elevational view of the device and showing the ends thereof fully connected.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a short strip or section of adhesive tape such as" is ordinarily employed by physicians, which section of tape is approximately two or three inches in length and an inch or more in width.

One end of this section of tape is split on a medial line, as designated by 11, to form a pair of relatively short tabs 12, that are approximately equal in width and length.

The opposite end of the section of tape is split on a medial line as designated by 13 to. form a-pair of tabs 14 that are approximately equal in size and the length of these tabs 14.- is approximately twice the length of the tabs 12 at the opposite end of the strip. 1 V

In the use of my improved device the central portion of thebody of the strip 10 is wrapped once around the thumb or finger, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the relatively short tabs 12 are pressed securely against the inner portions ofthe longer tabs 14 so as to adhere thereto and witlrthe parts so positioned, the outer ends of the longer tabs 14: project a short distance beyond the outer ends of the shorter tabs 12, as illustrated in The projecting ends of the longer tabs 14 are now foldeddown over the outer faces of the shorter tabs 12 and by pressure, caused to adhere thereto and as a result the secti .1: of adhesive tape is secured to the thumb r 'fingerwith a pair of members projecting outwardly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4: and which outwardly projecting members consists of the ta bs 12 and 14 with thelatter doubled so as to form three layers of material.

The double projections on the section of tape prevents thedevelopment of complete suction when'the thumb or finger to which the device is applied is placed in the mouth and the projecting tabs tend to produce an unpleasant or'inconvenient feeling when the thumb or finger is placed in the mouth and as a result, thumb and linger'sucking is discouraged.

To render the device more effective the fabric from which the adhesive tape is formed may be impregnated with a suitable harmless substance that is unpleasant tothe taste.

The device when properly applied to a thumb or finger cannot be readily removed for the layers in the projecting portions of the tabs are firmly secured to each other by the adhesive that forms a coating on the inside of the tape and it has been demonstrated in practice that an infant or small child cannot readily disconnect the tabs and removed the tape from the thumb or finger.

To remove the device from the thumb or finger, the projecting tabs are cut from the body of the tape with a suitable instrument, preferably scissors, and the encircling portion of the device can then be easily removed from the thumb or finger.

Obviously the device may be made in dif ferent lengths and widths for infants and children of different ages and the length of the tabs on the ends of the tape may be varied so as to produce finished or'sealed projecting members of different lengths.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a thumb and finger sucking preventive that is relatively simple in construction, ineX- pensive of manufacture, capable of being readily applied for use and which when in service does not interfere with the free movement and use of the thumb and fingers.

It will be understood that minor changes in the'size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved thumb and finger sucking preventive may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A thumb and finger sucking preventive, comprising a section of adhesive tape of sufficient length to pass around the end portion of a childs thumb or finger and a pair of tabs'projecting from each end thereof, one pair of which tabs is longer than the other so as to overlie both sides of the shorter tabs and form a pair of short projections when the tape is secured ona thumb or finger and the tabs are secured to each other.

2. A thumb and finger sucking preventive, comprising a section of adhesive tape of such length as to pass around the end portion of the thumb or finger, both ends of which section of tape are split lengthwise to form a pair of tabs, the members of one pair being longer than the other so as to overlie both sides of the shorter tabs and provide projecting members composed of three thicknesses of material when the tape is secured to a thumb or finger and said tabs are secured to each other..

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PHYLLIS C KAISER. 

